Press Release

The Prostate Cancer Foundation, World's Largest Prostate Cancer Philanthropy, Partners With National Basketball Association On New Awareness Campaign 

New York - March 28, 2005 - The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF), the world's largest philanthropic source of support for prostate cancer research, today announced that it has launched a nationwide awareness campaign with the National Basketball Association (NBA). The new campaign, entitled "Act. Like A Man," comes as PCF embarks upon its 12th year of operation to find better treatments and a cure for prostate cancer. TBWA\Chiat\Day and TEQUILA\ New York created the advertising and branding for the campaign and were selected after a closed and confidential review coordinated by search consultancy Bob Wolf Partners/TPG.

"This is the time for prostate cancer to emerge from behind the curtain, much as AIDS and breast cancer have over the past decade," said Leslie Michelson, chief executive officer of the Prostate Cancer Foundation. "We are losing more than 30,000 men each year while more than 230,000 are being diagnosed. One in six men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime, making it the most common cancer in America behind skin cancer. We need to talk about this little-talked-about disease, and this partnership with the NBA will help educate American men."

The "Act. Like A Man" campaign is designed to quickly communicate the specific disease target and challenge men to help solve this growing male health problem. The clear call-to-action invites all men, especially within the target age (45+), to step up and do their part to help find a cure through medical research funding.

"Our market research showed that women are comfortable joining other women to address a common cause, while men are more insular and focus on how an individual can help solve a problem," said Debbie Bohnett, chief operating officer, Prostate Cancer Foundation. "Act. Like A Man is a way of capturing the attention of men to create an army, one person at a time, to fight this deadly disease."

"We are thrilled to partner with the Prostate Cancer Foundation and to raise awareness and funds for on-going research," said Kathleen Behrens, senior vice president of community relations for the NBA. "Our current and former players understand how important it is that we talk more, and do more, about prostate cancer. We hope this campaign will send an important message to men everywhere."

The "Act. Like a Man" campaign will be supported with extensive print, outdoor, public relations and on-line executions.

"We are extremely excited to be working with one of the most recognizable and best non-profit organizations in the country," said Victor Imbimbo, executive group director for TBWA\Chiat\Day New York's health and wellness division. "Understanding this disease at its core is essential in developing a strategy and creative direction that will not only build awareness, but help to focus on what matters most in this fight about prostate cancer -- prevention."

About the Prostate Cancer Foundation

The Prostate Cancer Foundation is the world's largest philanthropic source of support for prostate cancer research. Founded in 1993, the PCF has raised more than $230 million and provided funding for prostate cancer research to more than 1,200 researchers at 100 institutions worldwide. PCF has a simple, yet urgent goal: to find better treatments and a cure for prostate cancer. For more information, please visit Prostate Cancer Foundation.

About TBWA\Chiat\Day

TBWA\Chiat\Day, Adweek's U.S. Agency of the Year, is part of TBWA Worldwide. TBWA Worldwide, Advertising Age magazine's 2004 Global Agency Network of the Year, is one of the world's fastest growing top-ten agencies. TBWA creates disruptive ideas for global clients, including Absolut, adidas, Apple, Beiersdorf, Haagen-Dazs, Henkel, Masterfoods, McDonald's, Michelin, Nissan and Sony PlayStation. TBWA has 237 offices in 75 countries, and approximately 8,300 employees worldwide.